Have you ever been curious as to why Jews keep Kosher, Muslims keep Halal, or why Hindu and Jain Banias are strictly vegetarian? All these are trading communities. All have, for centuries, used food practices to establish a network of trust in global trade.
Long before the institution of insurance and credit control systems, faith in trading was built upon food. From Jewish traders in the Mediterranean to Muslim traders in the Indian Ocean, and Jain and Marwari traders in India, food restrictions were an important part of the architecture of trust among traders who never crossed paths.
